Teratological Effects Research Articles

E-waste: a global threat with an impact on nutrition

Introduction: The generation and increase of electronic waste (e-waste) represents a focus of attention in the biomedical area due to the devastating impact on health. The importance and study ranges from toxicological understanding in adults to teratological effects in neonates. Studies have shown that e-waste affects the uptake of micronutrients, in addition to environmental contamination. Objective: To describe the main nutritional effects of e-waste in vulnerable populations. Methods: A retrospective descriptive model was performed following the PRISMA model, including manuscripts that were published since 2015. Results: Of the total number of articles identified, 21 articles were selected that met the established criteria. E-waste has a great impact on the environment by contaminating soil, food, vegetables, and air. Through these routes, children, pregnant women, and recyclers can acquire different toxic compounds. The main affectations described are alterations in iron metabolism and glycemic index, metabolic alterations, changes in the microbiota, affectation in the synthesis of antibodies and metabolic activity of reparative enzymes. Conclusions: Personnel in nutrition and related areas should understand the mechanism of action of e-waste, nutrient utilization, and the effect of metals and compounds derived from e-waste to avoid nutritional deficiencies

Embryotoxicity of fluconazole on developing chick embryos

Abstract Background Fluconazole is a first-generation triazole used as an antifungal treatment for skin, hair, and nail infections. The study aimed to assess the embryotoxicity and teratological effects of fluconazole on chick embryos. Fertilized eggs were divided into four groups: two experimental groups treated with different concentrations of fluconazole (0.1 ml/egg, 0.2 ml/egg) containing 12 and 11 eggs, respectively, one group treated with distilled water (10 eggs), and a control group (10 eggs) left untreated. The liquid form of fluconazole was administered on the 4th day of incubation, and observations were made on the 9th day. Results There were different anomalies observed in them like hydrocephaly, microcephaly shorting of the beak, agenesis, Amelia, micromelia, anophthalmia, microphthalmia, and kyphosis. There were also observed the morphometric measurements with a difference of significant (p < 0.001) and (p < 0.01) in CR length, body weight, head circumference, eye circumference, forelimb, and hind limb. Different vital organ defects were also observed in histological studies. Fluconazole in various combinations has been found to cause embryotoxicity and teratological consequences in chick embryos. Conclusion The current study showed that fluconazole is teratogenic in creating chick undeveloped organisms. The embryotoxic impacts were recorded on structural morphometric and graphic levels.

Teratogenic Effects of Lead in the Developing Chick Embryos

Lead (heavy metal) can be found in trace levels in the crust of the planet. It may be harmful to both human and animals' health. Nearly all body's organs and systems can be affected by lead and mainly found in smelting and mining areas. Objective: To estimate the effect of lead on chick embryos at morphologic, morphometric, and histological levels and to study the toxic effects of lead in developing chick embryos Methods: Fertilized eggs were separated into three groups. Two groups were treated with varying concentrations of lead as experimental groups, untreated designated as control group. The dose was administered on the fourth day of incubation, and recovery occurred on the ninth day. Results: Significant differences (p<0.000) and (p<0.001) in CR length, body weight, head size, eye circumference, forelimb and hindlimb were reported. Morphological abnormalities such as hydrocephaly, microcephaly, beak shortening, agenesis, Amelia, micromelia, anophthalmia, microphthalmia, and kyphosis were seen. It also revealed various abnormalities in important organs such as irregular cerebral folia, necrotic intestine, and hemorrhages in bursa fabricious. Lead has been shown in various combinations to cause embryotoxicity and teratological effects in chick embryos. Conclusions: Lead is a harmful pollutant and may be responsible for various developmental anomalies in livings beings including animals and humans.

Teratological effect of Levetiracetam (antiepileptic drug) in utero on the foetus of albino mice

Teratological effect of Levetiracetam (antiepileptic drug) in utero on the foetus of albino mice

Prenatal marijuana exposure and visual perception in toddlers: Evidence of a sensory processing deficit.

Research has identified a link between prenatal marijuana exposure and multiple outcomes in children, including cognitive development. Several studies have found specific differences in sensory processing and attention, with visual perception especially impacted in school age children. The current study explored whether this effect is evident at an earlier age, and thus our goal was to investigate the relationship between in-utero marijuana exposure and sensory processing capabilities in toddlers. We hypothesized that in-utero marijuana exposure throughout pregnancy would specifically predict visual sensory hyperactivity in children as young as 15 months of age. Participants were 225 15-month-old children whose mothers were recruited during pregnancy. Substance exposure was prospectively collected and biochemically verified, with marijuana coded as no exposure, 1st trimester exposure only, or exposure throughout pregnancy. The Infant Toddler Sensory Profile evaluated 5 domains of sensory processing (visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular, oral). Prenatal marijuana exposure throughout pregnancy, but not when limited to the first trimester, predicted a two-fold increased likelihood of scoring in a range indicating high levels of seeking out and potentially over-attending to visual stimulation after controlling for potentially confounding factors including other prenatal exposures. Marijuana exposure was not significantly related to other processing domains. Results indicate that links previously identified between prenatal marijuana exposure and visual function and attention may already be evident at 15 months of age, and also suggest an impact related to continuous/later pregnancy exposure. Our findings, as well as those from previous studies, all suggest visual processing differences for exposed children, differences that may predict emerging issues with visual attention and habituation. As legalization of marijuana continues to increase, further research is clearly needed to examine specific teratologic effects associated with use during pregnancy.

Inorganic arsenic alters the development of dopaminergic neurons but not serotonergic neurons and induces motor neuron development via Sonic hedgehog pathway in zebrafish

The mechanism of inorganic arsenic-induced neurotoxicity at the cellular level is not known. In zebrafish, teratological effects of inorganic arsenic have been shown at various concentrations. Here, we used similar concentrations of inorganic arsenic to evaluate the effects on specific neuron types. Exposure of zebrafish embryos at 5 h post fertilization (hpf) to sodium arsenite induced developmental toxicity (reduced body length) in 72 hpf larvae, beginning at a concentration of 300 mg/L concentration. Mortality or overt morphological deformity was detected at 500 mg/L sodium arsenite. While 200 mg/L sodium arsenite induced development of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive (dopaminergic) neurons, there was no significant effect on the development of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonergic) neurons. Sodium arsenite reduced acetylcholinesterase activity. In the hb9-GFP transgenic larvae, both 200 and 400 mg/L sodium arsenite produced supernumerary motor neurons in the spinal cord. Inhibition of the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway that is essential for motor neuron development, by Gant61, prevented sodium arsenite-induced supernumerary motor neuron development. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) revealed that with 200 mg/L and 400 mg/L sodium arsenite treatment, each larva had an average of 387.8 pg and 847.5 pg arsenic, respectively. The data show for the first time that inorganic arsenic alters the development of dopaminergic and motor neurons in the zebrafish larvae and the latter occurs through the Shh pathway. These results may help understand why arsenic-exposed populations suffer from psychiatric disorders and motor neuron disease and Shh may, potentially, serve as a plasma biomarker of arsenic toxicity.

Toxicity Study of Chlorzoxazone and Isosorbide Dinitrate using Chick Embryo

Number of potential drugs are underutilized due to a lack of availability of teratological data. Isosorbide Dinitrate is a saviour drug in angina prophylaxis while chlorzoxazone is a skeletal muscle relaxant and there is no adequate teratogenic study performed till date. This study aims to assess the teratological effect of these drugs on vital organs using the chick embryo model. White Leghorn’s (Gallus gallus domesticus) fertilised chicken eggs were acquired from shivneri agro and hatcheries Nashik and divided into five groups (n=10) as Control, nonteratogenic, teratogenic, chlorzoxazone, and Isosorbide Dinitrate. The drug was injected via yolk inoculation and after inoculation; the eggs were re-incubated at 37.5-37.8°C and 50-60% RH for 21 days. Then the embryos were harvested and evaluated for morphological and histopathological changes. The gross macroscopic examination of Isosorbide Dinitrate and chlorzoxazone treated chicks were normal. The development of the embryo was found shunted in Isosorbide Dinitrate treated group. Microscopic abrasions found in Isosorbide Dinitrate treated group are myocardial congestion, hemorrhage, hydropic degeneration, dislocation of the nucleus, splitting of cells, and infiltration of cells at all three doses. No teratogenic response was observed in chlorzoxazone treated group hence found to be safe. Teratogenic effect of Chlorzoxazone and isosorbide dinitrate in chick embryo provided notable details. Chlorzoxazone was found to be safe in chick embryos in the developmental phase, While Isosorbide dinitrate at highest dose was found toxic and so, it is inadvisable for its utilization in pregnancy.

An intergenerational lifespan perspective on the neuroscience of prenatal substance exposure

Prenatal substance exposure has the potential to impact a variety of domains, with neurobiological effects that last throughout the lifespan. Different substances may impact the brain in both specific and diffuse ways; however, the aberrant neural outcomes following exposure tend to coalesce in three areas: (1) sensorimotor development; (2) arousal, motivation, and reward; and (3) executive functioning, impulse control, and emotion regulation. This manuscript represents a summary and update of a previous review (Morie et al., 2019). We organize this piece by domain and summarize data from published neuroimaging studies that examine the neural correlates of prenatal exposure across developmental stages. While the published neuroimaging literature in the area of prenatal exposure has a range of sampling concerns that may limit generalizability as well as longitudinal prediction, the findings to date do point to domains of interest warranting further study. With this caveat, we synthesize the extant findings to describe ways in which prenatal substance exposure is associated with developmental psychopathology and implicated in potentially aberrant behavioral patterns beginning in infancy and persisting through childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and even parenthood. We also examine how substance abuse may impact parenting behaviors that in turn influences infant and child behavior in ways that may be additive or obscure the direct teratological effects of prenatal exposure. Given this observation, we offer an additional intergenerational lens through which prenatal substance exposure should be studied.

Chiral Resolution, Absolute Configuration Assignment, and Genotoxicity Evaluation of Racemic 3,4-Dihydroquinazoline as a Novel Anticancer Agent

If a new drug candidate will be a mixture of enantiomers, both enantiomers should be separately studied for at least latent genotoxicity as early as possible since the thalidomide tragedy. Our group has recently reported that KCP-10043F (OZ-001) as a racemate (±)-3,4-dihydroquinazoline derivative strongly represses the proliferation of human A549 lung cancer cells by caspase-mediated apoptosis via STAT3 inactivation. To investigate the possible teratological effects of the two enantiomers of a racemic KCP-10043F, therefore chiral resolution of (±)-KCP-10043F was performed and subsequently followed by a series of chemical processes to afford the corresponding chiral diastereomers. By using 1H NMR anisotropy method, the absolute configuration (+)-KCP-10043F and (−)-KCP-10043F could be assigned as S and R configuration, respectively. The bacterial reverse mutation test (Ames test) for racemate (±)-KCP-10043F and its two enantiomers exhibited that all three stereoisomers were found to be nongenotoxic against five bacterial strains with/without metabolic activation. In addition, (R)-(−)-KCP-10043F displayed almost equal anticancer activity to (S)-(+)-KCP-10043F against three cancer cell lines. Based on these overall results, racemate KCP-10043F (OZ-001) could be used for our ongoing preclinical and clinical studies without the expensive asymmetric process and/or chiral separation.

Literature Review: Transplacental Transmission of COVID-19 and Its Teratological Aspect

Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic affects all populations, including pregnant women. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-Cov-2) infection in pregnancy needs to be a concern because of the risk of transplacental transmission to the fetus and the potential to interfere with fetal development. The objective of this study is to review the transplacental transmission of COVID-19 and the teratological aspects of the event. This article is a literature study. Based on the literature obtained, placental infection, vertical transmission, and fetal infection have been identified in some cases. However, there is still no consistent and enough scientific evidence to show that those condition causes fetal damage or causes congenital anomalies. Virus and host characteristics are thought to explain why SARS-Cov-2 infection has not shown a teratological effect. SARS-CoV-2, similar to severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) infection, does not indicate maternal-fetal transmission. The low-level expression of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and S protein priming proteases type II transmembrane serine protease (TMPRSS 2) in the placenta is also considered to be the factor that plays a role in inhibiting the vertical transmission of COVID-19. Adverse outcome of fetal death is more due to pathophysiological conditions of maternal health caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection during gestation.

Environmental Concentrations of Sulfonamides Can Alter Bacterial Structure and Induce Diatom Deformities in Freshwater Biofilm Communities.

Since the early 1920s, the intensive use of antibiotics has led to the contamination of the aquatic environment through diffuse sources and wastewater effluents. The antibiotics commonly found in surface waters include sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and sulfamethazine (SMZ), which belong to the class of sulfonamides, the oldest antibiotic class still in use. These antibiotics have been detected in all European surface waters with median concentrations of around 50 ng L–1 and peak concentrations of up to 4–6 μg L–1. Sulfonamides are known to inhibit bacterial growth by altering microbial production of folic acid, but sub-lethal doses may trigger antimicrobial resistance, with unknown consequences for exposed microbial communities. We investigated the effects of two environmentally relevant concentrations (500 and 5,000 ng L–1) of SMZ and SMX on microbial activity and structure of periphytic biofilms in stream mesocosms for 28 days. Measurement of sulfonamides in the mesocosms revealed contamination levels of about half the nominal concentrations. Exposure to sulfonamides led to slight, transitory effects on heterotrophic functions, but persistent effects were observed on the bacterial structure. After 4 weeks of exposure, sulfonamides also altered the autotrophs in periphyton and particularly the diversity, viability and cell integrity of the diatom community. The higher concentration of SMX tested decreased both diversity (Shannon index) and evenness of the diatom community. Exposure to SMZ reduced diatom species richness and diversity. The mortality of diatoms in biofilms exposed to sulfonamides was twice that in non-exposed biofilms. SMZ also induced an increase in diatom teratologies from 1.1% in non-exposed biofilms up to 3% in biofilms exposed to SMZ. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the teratological effects of sulfonamides on diatoms within periphyton. The increase of both diatom growth rate and mortality suggests a high renewal of diatoms under sulfonamide exposure. In conclusion, our study shows that sulfonamides can alter microbial community structures and diversity at concentrations currently present in the environment, with unknown consequences for the ecosystem. The experimental set-up presented here emphasizes the interest of using natural communities to increase the ecological realism of ecotoxicological studies and to detect potential toxic effects on non-target species.

Teratological Effects of Tribenuron Methyl on Zebra Fish Embryo and Larva

Tribenuron metil tarımda çok yıllık dikotları kontrol etmek için kullanılan herbisittir. Sucul ekosistemlere yeraltı suyu yoluyla erişebilir ve sucul yaşamı etkileyebilir. Zebra balığı (Danio rerio Hamilton, 1822), kolay üreme kapasitesine ve şeffaf embriyolara sahip olan ve bu yüzden bilimsel çalışmalarda sıkça tercih edilen bir omurgalı modelidir. Bu çalışmada tribenuron metil zebra balıkları üzerinde 120 saatlik LC50 değerinin 1.850 mg L-1 olarak tespit edildi. Bu değerden yola çıkarak uygulanan 1.812 mg L-1, 0.906 mg L-1, 0.453 mg L-1, 0.226 mg L-1 ve 0.113 mg L-1 konsantrasyonlarında tribenuron metilin zebra balığı embriyo ve larva gelişimine olan etkisi incelenmiştir. Bu çalışma sonucunda tribenuron metil uygulamasının embriyo hücrelerinde toksik etki ettiği, farklı malformasyonlara sebep olduğu tespit edilmiştir.

Toxicological assessment and developmental abnormalities induced by butylparaben and ethylparaben exposure in zebrafish early-life stages

Toxicological effects of butylparaben (BuP) and ethylparaben (EtP) on zebrafish (Danio rerio) early-life stages are not well established. The present study evaluated, using zebrafish embryos and larvae, the toxicity of BuP and EtP through benchmark dose (BMD) approach. BuP was more toxic than EtP to zebrafish larvae. In fact, Lethal Concentration 50 (LC50) values at 96 h post-fertilization (hpf) for BuP and EtP were 2.34 mg/L and 20.86 mg/L, respectively. Indeed, BMD confidence interval (lower bound (BMDL) - upper bound (BMDU) was 0.91–1.92 mg/L for BuP and 10.8–17.4 mg/L for EtP. Zebrafish embryos exposed to 1 mg/L, 2.5 mg/L of BuP and 5 mg/L, 10 mg/L, 20 mg/L, 30 mg/L of EtP showed several developmental abnormalities and teratological effects compared to negative control. Exposed zebrafish developed reduced heartbeat, reduction in blood circulation, blood stasis, pericardial edema, deformed notochord and misshaped yolk sac. Embryos exposed to the highest concentrations of the chemicals (2.5 mg/L of BuP, 10 mg/L, 20 mg/L and 30 mg/L of EtP) showed the developmental abnormalities at 48 hpf while those treated with 1 mg/L of BuP and 10 mg/L of EtP reported behavioral changes at 72 hpf, including trembling of head, pectoral fins and spinal cord. This research identified the lethal and sublethal effects of BuP and EtP in zebrafish early-life stages and could be helpful to elucidate the developmental pathways of toxicity of parabens.

Developmental and reproductive toxicity studies of BIA 10-2474

A series of regulatory studies were carried out to investigate the effects of the FAAH inhibitor BIA 10–2474 on fertility, embryo-fetal toxicity and pre- and post-natal development in rats and rabbits. Despite some reductions in sperm count in rats from 50 mg/kg, there were no major changes in male fertility up to 100 mg/kg. In female rats administered up to GD6, there were increases in pre-implantation loss at 50 and 100 mg/kg but neither post-implantation loss nor early embryonic development was affected. In contrast, when administered to female rats during pregnancy (GD6-GD17), BIA 10–2474 at 75 mg/kg/day reduced food consumption resulting in weight loss, increased post-implantation loss and reduced mean fetal body weight. In rabbits, the same maternal toxicity was seen but there were no effects in this species on post-implantation loss or fetal body weights. There were no teratological effects clearly due to BIA 10–2474 and developmental milestones and behavior of offspring were not affected. When administered during pregnancy and lactation (GD6-PND20), some post-implantation loss was seen from 20 mg/kg/day, but developmental milestones and behavior of the offspring were not affected, although males tended to have lower body weight. Based on these data the NOAEL for parental fertility was established as 50 mg/kg/day, the maternal NOAEL during pregnancy was 25 mg/kg/day in rats and developmental NOAEL was 25 and 75 mg/kg/day in rats and rabbits, respectively. When administered during post-natal development to rats the maternal NOAEL was 6 mg/kg/day. The parental reproductive NOAEL, the NOAEL for viability and growth of the F1 offspring, the F1 parental NOAEL and the F1 reproductive NOAEL were all considered to be 20 mg/kg/day.

Teratological Effect of Indoxacarb on Chick Embryos (Gallus gallus domesticus)

The present study was designed to assess the teratological effects of Indoxacarb on chick embryos (Gallus gallus domesticus) by administering different doses of commercial Indoxacarb (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5ml/1000ml/egg, in three experimental groups B, C and D) injected into the yolk sac of eggs before incubation. Embryos were recovered at day 12 of incubation. The mortality rate gradually increased from lower to higher doses. A total of twelve morphometric parameters viz., wet body weight, crown rump length, anterior posterior head diameter, eye diameter, beak length, neck length, humerus length, radius and ulna length, metacarpus length, femur length, fibula length and metatarsus length were recorded and compared with control group. These quantitative parameters indicated significant plessthan0.05) decrease in all treated groups compared to control group. While the qualitative anomalies such as microcephaly, hydrocephaly, edematous swelling, hematoma formation, abnormal body coloration, anophthalmia, microphthalmia, deformed beak, agnathia, wry neck, micromelia, amelia, omphalocele and ectopia cardis were also recorded in treated groups as compared to untreated groups. Therefore, it is concluded that Indoxacarb has potentially harmful effects on the development of avian embryos even at very low dose concentration. Hence, due to toxicity of this pesticide it must be used with utmost caution.

Teratogenic effects of cypermethrin and carbaryl on swiss albino mice (Mus musculus)

Toxic effects of cypermethrin and carbaryl were determined by studying histopathological changes in the liver and kidney of developing fetus of Swiss albino mice during 2018. The mice were kept under controlled conditions of temperature (25 oC), relative humidity (40-50 %) and photoperiod 12 hrs : 12 hrs. The pregnant female mice were exposed to two dose groups of 5 mg/g body weight (b.w.) and 7.5 mg/g of b.w. The doses were administrated orally daily at morning for eighteen days during gestation. Cesarean sections were performed on eighteenth day and fetuses were recovered for morphological and morphometric analysis which revealed normal development of external organs in all treatment groups except in the group where 7.5 mg/g of b.w. of cypermethrin was applied. High dose group of cypermethrin (7.5 mg/g of b.w.) showed significant variations in the reduction of body weight (311.47 mg), crown rump (CR) length (11.23 mm) and tail length (7.25 mm) with arrested growth as compared to other groups. Results showed sinusoid enlargement, congestion of central vein, dilation of tubular portion, necrosis, hemorrhages along with irregular hepatocytes in kidney and liver in all treatment groups. Higher dose of cypermethrin caused slight teratological effects on fetus. Physical and morphological abnormality was not observed in all groups including control. The present study concludes that the cypermethrin produces teratological effects in addition to reduction in the growth of developing fetus mice, thus, may be explored further for hazardous effects. Keywords: Histopathology; Kidney; Liver; Pesticides; Teratogenic http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2019.80092

Systemic Toxicity and Teratogenicity of Copper Oxide Nanoparticles and Copper Sulfate.

Acceleration in development of metallic nanoparticles for their utility in medical and technological applications due to their unique physicochemical properties has concurrently raised a matter of concern due to their potential toxicity. Of the enormous metallic nanostructures, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs) having optical and electrochemical properties are scrutinized for theranostic applications. Therefore, their safety profile is of a major concern in optimizing a safe dose for its clinical utility. Considering the potency of CuONPs in epitomizing toxicity, we report a dose and time dependent acute, systemic and transgenerational toxicity profile of CuONPs in comparison to the bulk copper as copper sulfate (CuSO4). Acute toxic dose (LD50(14)) of CuONPs (400 mg/kg · b · wt) was found to be three fold higher that of CuSO4(100 mg/kg · b · wt). Comparative steady state evaluation showed that CuONPs (≥5 mg/kg · b · wt.) induce greater dose and time dependent oxidative stress by increase in protein carbonylation and decreased glutathione levels in comparison to the bulk CuSO4. Furthermore, CuONPs were found to disrupt blood brain barrier (BBB) and sneak in to the brain which was quantified by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and also coax toxicity in liver, kidney and spleen, ascertained by histopathological findings (at ≥5 mg/kg · b · wt.). Considering transgenerational toxicity, CuONPs in comparison to CuSO4 severely affected sperm count and morphology in male animals, though not much teratological effects were observed, except certain extent of embryo resorption. The present study highlights a complete toxicity profile of CuONPs, giving forethought for considering them for clinical applications.

Neonatal experiences with ethanol intoxication modify respiratory and thermoregulatory plasticity and affect subsequent ethanol intake in rats.

Different studies have focused on the deleterious consequences of binge-like or chronic exposure to ethanol during the brain growth spurt period (third human gestational trimester) that in the rat corresponds to postnatal days (PDs) 3-10. The present study analyzed behavioral and physiological disruptions caused by relatively brief binge-like exposures (PDs 3, 5, and 7) with an ethanol dose lower (3.0 g/kg) than those frequently employed to examine teratological effects during this stage in development. At PD 9, pups were exposed to ethanol doses ranging between .0-3.0 g/kg and tested in terms of breathing patterns and thermoregulation. At PDs 11 and 12, ethanol intake was examined. The main findings were as follows: i) pre-exposure to the drug resulted in brief depressions in breathing frequencies and an exacerbated predisposition toward apneic episodes; ii) these effects were not dependent upon thermoregulatory alterations; iii) early ethanol treatment increased initial consumption of the drug which also caused a marked hypothermia that appeared to regulate a subsequent decrement in ethanol consumption; and iv) ethanol exposure retarded overall body growth and even one exposure to the drug (PD 9) was sufficient to reduce brain weights although there were no indications of microcephaly. In conjunction with studies performed during the late gestational period in the rat, the results indicate that relatively brief binge-like episodes during a critical window of brain vulnerability disrupts the respiratory network and exacerbates initial acceptance of the drug. In addition, ethanol treatments were not found to induce tolerance relative to respiratory and thermal disruptions.

TERATOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CARBOPLATIN: A MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY IN MICE

TERATOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CARBOPLATIN: A MORPHOLOGICAL STUDY IN MICE

Teratological Effects of Retinoids on Skeletal Elements of Swiss Albino Mice

The specific branch o developmental biology which deals with abnormalities caused as a result of failure of normal pattern of development is referred as teratogenesis. Retinoids are essential for spermatogenesis, oogenesis, placental development, foetal morphogenesis and growth. The role of vitamin A in vision is well known. Active derivative of vitamin A (Retinoids) play an important and multiple role in Mammalian development and homeostasis (Sapin, et.al. 1997, Dup et al 1997). These essential dietary compounds are needed in very small quantities, they are not synthesized by the animals and are obtained from external sources in the form of β carotene (C40H56). In cells of intestine β carotene is converted into vitamin A alcohol and is transported by blood to liver where it is esterfied and stored as vitamin A palmitate. RA is not stored in liver but is derived from retinal and it is biologically the most potent form of vitamin A. Vitamins are organic compounds which are devided into 2 categories i Fat soluble (A,D,E,K) and ii water soluble (B and C). Vitamin A belongs to fat soluble category of vitamins. A fat soluble substance essential for life was first discovered in egg yolk in 1909 by Stepp (Pawson, 1981; Robert and Sporn, 1984). It was confirmed by Mc Collum Devis in 1913 when he found a compound with similar biological activity in butter fats, egg yolk and cod liver oil and was named fat soluble vitamin A. The development of an organism is a complex process of embryogenesis involving cell proliferation, differentiation, migration and organogenesis. Many agents interfering the development process can cause malformations in the embryo. The study of these congenital abnormalities is called teratology and agents which are responsible for causing these malformations are called teratogens. Susceptibility to teratogens depends on the genotype of the organism, including species as well as strain differences. Etienne Geoffrey Saint Hilaire and his son in 1820 started experiments on chick embryo by disturbing its environment in different ways at different embryonic stages. They found some anomalies like Trioncephally, atrophy of eyes and spina bifida in his experiments (Tuli, 1968). In 1877 Dareste reported found some anomalies like Trioncephally, atrophy of eyes and spina bifida in his Experiments (Tuli, 1968). 4mg RA severely damaged skin on later stage ie 11th and 14th day gestation period, of development, shows disruption and folds of skin look like over verying skin flaps. In the present paper effects of different doses of vitamin A on Skeletal elements on different development stages of swiss albino mice are studied.